> Surely it's better to cite the authority's reasons as to why they think this way than just to cite the authority itself
Why? When disagreeing with an authority, you want the audience to pay closer attention to your arguments as you demonstrate why the authority has it wrong. When you're just sharing distant and likely under-informed opinions with no arguments to back them up, it's not up to other people to do homework to show you why you're wrong. Appeal to authority is a legit call to a fallacy only when people give next to no consideration to your arguments, focusing instead on the opposing party's stature.
Why? When disagreeing with an authority, you want the audience to pay closer attention to your arguments as you demonstrate why the authority has it wrong. When you're just sharing distant and likely under-informed opinions with no arguments to back them up, it's not up to other people to do homework to show you why you're wrong. Appeal to authority is a legit call to a fallacy only when people give next to no consideration to your arguments, focusing instead on the opposing party's stature.